During an Olympics already mired in controversy over “gay propaganda” laws, Russia passed a statute Thursday forbidding single people (gay or straight) who live in any country where gay marriage is legal from adopting Russian children.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the measure as an amendment to the law passed last July forbidding all same-sex couples from adopting from Russia, the Wall Street Journal reports. The new decree will not affect American citizens, who have already been banned from adopting Russian children, regardless of their sexual preferences or marital status, since 2012.

The announcement of the new measure comes with Winter Olympics in full swing in Sochi, where gay rights advocates have been protesting Russia’s law banning people from “exposing children to gay propaganda.” The law theoretically leaves any person who says he is gay or who supports gay rights open to arrest.

Putin must have a reason for hating homosexuals. ever thought about why?????? maybe he was molested or is gay and hates himself...???????????????? HMMMMM.... what cha think about that one.?? He hates himself so much he hates the world... smh.............

What's sad is that, culturally, adoption is not really positively viewed or promoted in Russia. Thanks to this hateful agenda, children who won't be adopted by Russians anyway will have even less of a chance at an international adoption. Apparently they would rather warehouse kids in institutions than get them into real families. Never mind that handicapped kids, or those with other problems have near zero chance to start. I guess single people aren't really human beings in this case; not good enough to merit even being considered as a parent for an unwanted Russian child.

The hypocrisy here is amazing! Given that there are over 700,000 Russian children in state-run orphanages (thus the need for international adoptions), there because they were neglected, abandoned, and abused by the heterosexual Russian parents who made them, it's clear that the real danger to Russian children are Russians.

While it's vile that Russia has passed laws discriminating against its citizens on the basis of sexual orientation, it's worth noting that the ban on Americans adopting Russian-born kids was imposed for valid reasons - namely, the fact that US adoptive parents had a nasty little habit of killing (20-21 dead kids), abusing in horrific yet non-lethal ways (Masha Allen, Ksenia Anatova), disrupting and re-homing with dangerous strangers they found on a questionable internet chat board (as per Reuters Child Exchange Investigation) the Russian-born kids they promised to love and protect. There is also the little matter that the US government violated the bilateral adoption treaty with Russia first, mere weeks after it came into force in November 2012, by failing to allow Russian officials consular access to an abused Russian-born boy in FL (who was a dual US-Russian citizen).

@mary.waterton Yes, Russians are very moral. They understand the basics of human rights. NOT! Just ask Jews, Chechens, Eastern Europeans, Afghans, etc. Interesting fact about Russian parents: Over 25% of Russian males die before age 55 from alcoholism. This is an improvement. It was nearly 40% a couple of decades ago. Russia has one of the highest levels of spousal abuse in the world. And one of the highest suicide rates. These are the people you're getting morality lessons from. Be proud.